Haze
by Lady Azura
Summary: She couldn’t really make heads or tails of them, and didn’t know whether they were merely dreams or visions. Nick x Cassie.


Summary: _She couldn't really make heads or tails of them, and didn't know whether they were merely dreams or visions._

Disclaimer: Don't own _Push_. Or the song "Out of Control". 'Nuff said.

Author's Note: Okay, so this is my second Push fic. It can PROBABLY be perceived as a sequel to "On the Run" as well, but if you haven't read the latter, it doesn't really matter. Or does it?

Anywho, I would also like to thank my friend _**Lady Eirenna**_ for helping me with the title.

Now, without further ado… enjoy.

X

**Haze****  
**_**By: Lady Azura**_

X

_She's lying on the floor, hot and throbbing as a pair of warm, calloused hands roam across her body. She can scarcely make out the broad -- definitely male -- figure hovering above her. Everything is so blurry, but she's too lightheaded and drunk with pleasure to bring herself to care. All she can focus on are the delightful sensations coursing through her veins as he lowers his lips and begins his assault on her collarbone. She shudders and gasps, breathlessly pleading for more. He smirks against her skin before abiding to her request, inching lower and lower until finally -_

Cassie Holmes' eyes snapped open.

Inhaling sharply, she sat up suddenly and peered around the dingy motel room that she and her fellow psychic temporarily resided in. After sparing a brief glance at the man slumbering in the bed next to hers, she swung her legs over the edge of the mattress and made a mad dash to the washroom. Her heart beat wildly as she turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on her face, smearing the remains of her mascara and eyeliner. She hurriedly wiped it off, all the while trying to ignore the familiar heat resonating between her thighs as remnants of her dream flash in her mind like an old black and white film.

She needed air.

Flicking off the bathroom light, Cassie shuffled over to the front door and stepped out. Digging through her blazer pockets, she pulled out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes, knowing full well that Nick would probably blow a gasket if he ever found out. But she needed _something_ to relieve her stress, and since the jerk wouldn't let her anywhere _near_ alcohol -- and since she wasn't _stupid_ enough to turn to drugs -- smoking was the only option left. Leaning against the threshold, she lit one and brought it to her lips.

The summer air was humid and rancid. In the distance, she could spot the sun setting -- if she tried hard enough. It wouldn't be such a hindrance if they could actually afford a nice hotel, or even an apartment that overlooked the city, but Toronto wasn't exactly cheap. As a result, she and Nick were once again forced to stay in a shitty motel in the shittiest part of the city. The only _positive_ thing that came out of it was that they'd been there for nearly a year, and the Division still hadn't detected them.

It would only be a matter of time, though. However, until that time came, Cassie had other problems to worry about -- specifically the dreams she had been having recently.

That is, if they _were_ dreams. She couldn't really make heads or tails of them, and didn't know whether they were merely dreams or visions. They occurred far too often for her comfort, but at the same time… perhaps her hormones were simply messing with her. It certainly wouldn't be the first time, Cassie thought bitterly.

Folding her arms across her chest, she took another drag of her cigarette and then proceeded to stare out at the traffic, immersed in her own thoughts. Her reverie was soon broken when something soft brushed against her bare legs. Glancing down, Cassie found a stray cat -- black in color -- pawing at her feet and peering up at her with wide gold eyes. The blonde fought the urge to kick the damn thing as it continued to purr incessantly. She really hated animals… especially cats.

"Scram, you fucking furball." She muttered disdainfully, nudging it.

The feline promptly hissed, and then scampered off into the darkness.

Cassie, in the meantime, took one last puff before tossing the butt onto the ground and crushing it. Then she re-entered the motel room and returned to the bathroom, where she redressed and got ready for what she knew would be another long night. After fixing her hair and reapplying her makeup, she slid on her boots and emerged once more before making her way over to her still sleeping partner.

He was lying on his stomach, snoring away, oblivious to the tiny shadow looming over him. Cassie's gaze raked over his half-naked form, taking in the sight before her -- then halted abruptly, unintentionally lingering on the jagged scar just below his right shoulder, left behind from when one of Carver's minions had knifed him during their last fight with him. The fight that Kira had been killed in three years earlier.

She swallowed, blinking back tears. She didn't know why she was upset. She never even _liked_ Kira. In fact, she hated her. At the risk of coming off as a complete bitch, a part of her was glad that Kira was dead. Now, that wasn't to say that she'd Seen it coming and didn't try to prevent it, or that the older woman _deserved_ to die… but Cassie's adolescent mind was just glad that she would no longer have to fight for Nick's attention.

Not that she liked Nick in _that_ way, of course, although she did find him attractive. However, she was smart enough to know that nothing would ever come from it. She hadn't actually Seen that outcome or anything (of it not happening, that is), but the guy was just way too hung up on his dead ex-girlfriend to notice _her_. Besides, he'd told her on multiple occasions that she was like the "kid-sister" he never had; in the event that they _did_ somehow manage to hook up, it'd be rather incestuous on his part, now wouldn't it? To make matters all the more complicated… what would people _say_? Because that was her alias; that's who she currently was to the general public and to everyone they encountered while on the run: his little sister.

To top things off, the difference in age was astronomical.

Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration… but that still didn't change the fact that ten years separated them.

With that thought in mind, Cassie lifted a boot-clad foot to her partner's side and started to prod gently.

_"Ahspheelp…ghway…"_ Came the muffled, incoherent response.

Cassie sighed. "Wake up, Nick."

When the older man failed to do just that, the scraggily-haired blonde grew impatient and pressed the tip of her boot into his flesh as hard as she could, causing Nick Gant to give an unmanly yelp and jerked up immediately, cursing under his breath while Cassie simply stepped away and pursed her lips, planting her hands firmly on her hips as she stared down at him expectantly.

"It's 7:30." She informed him. "We're going out. Get dressed."

Nick made a face at her.

"You better have an excuse for being so demanding." He muttered.

Cassie's eyes flashed dangerously. She knew that by "excuse", he was insinuating one of two things: that she'd Seen something and they needed to leave quickly, or that she was having her "Monthly Visitor". She scrunched up her nose.

"It's my birthday, asshole." She reminded him. "Or did you forget?"

Nick blinked.

"That's… today?" He said slowly, furrowing his brow.

Cassie nodded. "Yeah. And you're taking me out. Now get dressed."

Nick groaned, letting his elbows buckle, and buried his face in his pillow. After about a minute, he forced himself to get up and reluctantly did as he was told.

x

Loud music blared from every corner of the cramped vicinity as blinding strobe lights blinked rapidly through thick clouds of smoke. The smell of alcohol was prominent in the air, along with the sweat emanating from young, horny bodies melding together on the dance floor.

Amidst all of this, Nick sighed loudly in exasperation and downed his fourth shot that evening, all the while keeping his eyes trained on his now eighteen-year-old companion.

As was her wish, he'd taken her out for her birthday -- to dinner, specifically, at a semi-expensive restaurant that was relatively close to their motel. He'd paid for the meal too… but there was nothing particularly unusual about that, considering he always ended up with the bill. What he _hadn't_ expected was for her to drag him to the nearest club afterward, and because it was _her_ special day, he had no choice but to oblige.

Which was precisely why he currently found himself standing by the bar, looking on at her from a good distance and watching as she flirted with an attractive boy around her age… give or take a couple of years. He ignored the pang of jealousy that shot through him when she and the boy began to dance, and promptly turned to the bartender.

"Another." He told him.

"She's a little young for you, don't you think?" The bartender said disapprovingly, but complied anyway.

Nick paid no heed, and continued to gaze out onto the crowd. The song had changed, the beat becoming more hypnotic than erratic and crazy like before. He suppressed the desire building inside him as he watched Cassie grind rhythmically against the boy, growing more flushed with each passing second. The glass he was holding threatened to crack when Cassie tossed her head back, eyes closing and lips parting as she did so.

But when the boy's hand disappeared under her floral-printed miniskirt, that's when Nick saw red.

Slamming his half-empty shot glass onto the counter, he promptly marched over to the two teenagers.

---

Cassie sighed contentedly as Alex Pierson's hands came to rest on her hips. She could hear _She Wants Revenge_'s "Out of Control" playing in the background, but the music itself was faint.

She could feel Alex's arousal against her thigh, as well as Nick's penetrating stare -- the latter of which had her face burning. Blue eyes flickering shut, it wasn't long before she became lost in her own thoughts; the gangly arms holding her had changed and were now thick with muscle, while the body pressed against her was no longer bony, but firm and solid. In her mind, even Alex's face had morphed into one slightly more recognizable. Instead of honey-colored locks, it was unkempt brown spikes that pointed in random directions. Stubble had also replaced smooth skin.

"You're so fucking hot." Alex murmured into her ear rather lewdly. "I've never met anyone like you."

Cassie grimaced. If she hadn't been so caught up in her fantasy, she probably would've punched the guy. On the other hand, even though he was a hormonal teenager and wanted to get into her pants, there was some truth laced in his words. She knew that he probably hadn't ever run into another Watcher.

Her breath hitched as soon as she felt his hands slide under her skirt, and Nick's face immediately flashed in her mind.

Before she could say or do anything, however, a sudden invisible force ripped them apart. She heard Alex cry out in shock, and craned her neck in time to see him stumble backwards looking more than a little confused. Nick was at her side in seconds, arm wrapped securely around her shoulders as he proceeded to glare venomously at the boy.

"Beat it, kid. She's with me." He snarled at him, and Cassie knew instantly that he had Moved Alex away from her.

The latter, terrified, bolted without question and before Cassie could even so much as protest.

She quickly rounded on her partner.

"Nick! What the hell?" She snapped. "Why'd you -"

"He was feeling you up." Nick said through gritted teeth. "What'd you expect me to do?"

"_So_?" Cassie growled. "I was having a blast! Why do you always have to ruin my fun?"

"Because, in case you forgot, we're still in danger." Nick retorted, his voice low so only she could hear. "We can't afford to let our guard down. How do you know that kid wasn't working for the Division or something?"

"If he was, don't you think I would've Seen it?"

"You seemed a little distracted."

"Fuck you, Nick!" Flipping him the bird, Cassie spun around and stormed off.

Or tried to.

What she didn't expect was for Nick to pick her up and throw her over his shoulder. She protested and squirmed relentlessly, pounding her small fists into his back in a futile attempt to get him to release her while a string of profanities fell from her lips. As he carried her out of the club, he ignored the curious bystanders watching the strange scene, and grinned lopsidedly at them, saying something about her being his sister and not knowing what she was talking about because this was her first time getting drunk.

A blatant lie, but everyone seemed to buy it much to her immense chagrin.

It wasn't until they were inside their motel that he finally tossed her onto her bed and collapsed on his own, exhausted despite the fact that she weighed next to nothing.

Rising to her feet, Cassie fumed.

"You asshole!" She seethed, pointing an accusing finger at him. "I can't believe you! You -"

She froze, eyes suddenly glazing over before she squeezed them shut and pressed her fingertips to her forehead.

Nick sat up and furrowed his brow.

"Cassie?" He said, concern etched across his face.

His voice was distant, though, as a vision -- the clearest one she'd had in ages -- invaded her mind.

_They're on her bed. He's buried deep inside her and she's on top of him, rocking against him and raking her nails down his chest while he grips her hips tightly and - _

"Cassie!"

Cassie blinked and shuddered.

"What did you See?"

She bit her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood.

"I Saw…" She started, but trailed off and went still.

"You Saw…" Nick coaxed.

"Nothing."

Her companion shot her a look.

"I've known you long enough to know when you're lying, Cassie." He reminded her. "Now, tell me what you Saw. Is it the Division? Have they found us?"

Cassie flushed.

"No, nothing like that…"

"Then what?"

The blonde sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yeah." Nick replied, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

Cassie moved to sit beside him. Then, cupping each side of his face, she brought her lips to his. He went rigid at first -- no doubt the result of an inner conflict -- but after about a minute or so, his arms slid around her waist and he kissed back at last.

X

FIN

X

**Gah. FAIL!**

**I hate the ending with a passion, but I didn't know what else to write. Besides, it's 1:30 in the morning. My brain is pretty much dead.**

**Ah, well…**

**Please ****REVIEW**** and tell me what you think!**

_**-Lady Azura-**_


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